Marvel’s Cinematic Universe Now Offered As College Course
Comic book fans will now be able to study Marvel’s cinematic universe in depth as one university prepares to offer a course examining the complex, interrelated story that has defined superheroes for a new generation.
The University of Baltimore will offer a first-of-its-kind course, Media Genres: Media Marvels, during an upcoming semester, IGN notes. The class will examine Marvel Studios’ efforts to create an interconnected narrative universe while also delving into modern audience’s love of the superhero genre. Beginning with the first Iron Man film, students will divide their attention between Marvel’s films, television shows, and related comic books.
You can now do a college course on the Marvel cinematic universe http://t.co/UGQgJIi2m9 pic.twitter.com/P5CEUEgarK
— entertainment.ie (@entertainmentIE) September 20, 2014
As We Got This Covered points out, the course will be taught by Professor Arnold T. Blumberg, part of the faculty at Baltimore’s Yale Gordon College of Arts And Sciences. The purpose of the class will be to examine the way in which Marvel Studios has developed the comic book format into a wide-ranging platform that appeals to society’s fascination with superheroes and global threats.
“One thing we’ll do is dive into the impact of the Guardians of the Galaxy film, which proved two things: Mainstream movie audiences are not remotely tired of superhero movies; and Marvel Studios can now release a sci-fi adventure that actually features talking trees and raccoons. It’s not that they’re getting away with it—they’ve created a universe in which fans completely accept these developments, and they’re ready for even more.”
Complex, interconnected storylines and backgrounds have long been a hallmark of the Marvel universe. As The Inquisitr previously noted, some fans believe that the long term plan for Marvel Studios lies in plot diversification, building a cosmic universe on the heels of films like Guardians of the Galaxy in order to continue the current Infinity Gauntlet story. The earthbound cinematic universe would then allow Marvel to explore other storylines, such as the much debated and anticipated Civil War.
Did you hear about the first-ever college course on the “Universe” of the @Marvel films? http://t.co/1e0s2eaKCk pic.twitter.com/S9NmiI6hFd — IGN (@IGN) September 19, 2014
The course will also examine the consistent tone of the Marvel universe, and the way in which branding has helped the world of superheroes to cross over to a mainstream audience.
“It started with a human emotional core delivered in the first Iron Man movie, and built out from there,” Blumberg asserts. “The Tony Stark character is memorable in that he was someone who could readily comment on the insanity around him. This grounded the entire Marvel film canon, and is still recognizable in the Guardians film.”
University of Baltimore will offer their course in Marvel’s universe during the spring 2015 semester.
[Image via Film Junkee]
